Emva kokuba imithetho yocalucalo yoMzantsi Afrika yamvimba ithuba lokulwela intshinga yeWorld Boxing Council (WBC), ngelingeni uBrian Mitchell ude wayizuza ibhanti yeWBC.
Ngethuba esenza intetho ephambili kwingqungquthela yamashumi amathandathu anesibini eHamburg kwelaseJamani ngoMvulo, umongameli walombutho uMauricio Sulaimán uthe jize uMitchell ngebhanti yombutho wakhe.
“Yinto enkulu kum ukufumana ibhanti yeWBC. Ndivuya kakhulu. Ndineminyaka engamashumi amathandathu anesithathu naku ngoku ndilapha kweyona ngqungquthela enkulu yamanqindi,” utshilo uMitchell ekwelaseJamani.
“Umongameli weWBC uMauricio Sulaimán ubesenza intetho yakhe ngethuba ekhankanya uNelson Mandela nembethi-manqindi yaseMzantsi Afrika engazange ukwazi ukulwela intshinga yeWBC ngenxa yenkqubo yocalucalulo. Undothuse kakhulu ngethuba ebiza igama lam esithi mandize ngaphambili ndizokwamkela ibhanti yeWBC. Ndifuna ukubulela uMnumzana uSulaimán noRodney Berman ngalento. Ikhabhathi yam igcwele ngoku. Ndineebhanti ezimbini zeWBA, eye-IBF, eyeRing Magazine, eye-Old Buck kunye nale yeWBC.”
UMitchell, oneminyaka engamashumi amathandathu anesithathu, wayeyintshatsheli yoMzantsi Afrika, eyeWorld Boxing Association (WBA) neye-International Boxing Federation (IBF) kudidi lwejunior-lightweight.
Waphumelela intshinga yeWBA ngethuba wayenqumamisa u-Alfredo Layne wasePanama eSun City Superbowl, eRustenburg, ngoSeptemba 1986, ntshinga leyo awayiphatha kwade kwango-1991.
UMitchell wayikhusela lentshinga izihlandlo ezilishumi elinambini. Emva koko waphumelela ibhanti ye-IBF ngethuba ebetha uTony Lopez waseMelika e-Arco Arena eSacramento kwelaseMelika ngoSeptemba 1991.
LokaMitchell wabanemilo eliqela kunye nongasekhoyo uJacob ‘Dancing Shoes’ Morake, owasweleka ngomhla wesithathu kuNovemba ngo-1985 emva kokonzakala kumlo wabo wesine.
Kungoku nje uMitchell usebenza njengomnxulumanisi wezopapasho kwiGolden Gloves, ekwanguye nomsasazi wamanqindi kwaSuperSport. Wayeka ukulwa emva kokuphumelela imilo engamashumi amane anesihlanu, ephumelele ngokunqumamisa amadoda kwimilo engamashumi amabini ananye, ebethwe kanye, waze walwa ngokulingana kwimilo emithathu.
Wabethwa ngumfi uMorake ngethuba babesilwela intshinga yaseTransvaal kudidi lwejunior-lightweight KwaThema Civic Centre, eSprings, ngoMeyi 1982. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
